Some Things Are Priceless
by Scath Rocco Meoi
Summary: Natsuki was sure that that was a horrible night to go out, especially to go to a party. But couldn't Shizuru maybe change her mind? NatsukiXShizuru Shoujo-ai One-shot


**A.N.: **Just another short fic to my vast (ok, not so much) collection of Mai HiME fics. It was a request from **Beea Black' **in January of this year and it was originally written in Portuguese so it took me sometime to actually sit down and translate it. Translating can be really difficult even when it's your own work. I hope you guys like it.

_**Some Things Are Priceless**_

'_A beautiful night to stay home...' _thought Natsuki Kruger, Headmistress of Garderobe, looking through the limo's window at the rain outside. It was the first column's, Sara Galagher's birthday and a big party was being held at one of the most luxurious hotels of the city, she, as Headmistress, obviously had to attend, the fact that she hated occasions like that, with excessively elegant clothes and cheap talk, was not enough of an excuse to save her.

"Uncomfortable, Natsuki?" her assistant and friend, Shizuru Viola, asked with a gentle smile.

"Very." The black haired woman answered trying to fix her cobalt blue dress. "I hate these clothes! Why do we have to wear them anyways?"

"It's an important occasion. And you look beautiful like that, Natsuki."

"Sure." She snorted, turning back to the window as she tried to hide her blush at the blonde's words. "You look beautiful too…" she muttered turning even redder.

"Oh, Natsuki! That's so sweet of you…" Shizuru blushed a little too and looked down pretending to check her own wine colored dress. _'To match your eyes.' _The saleswoman had told her. "Ara… It seems we're already here."

"The earlier you arrive, the earlier you leave."

Chuckling, the blonde exited the car waiting for Natsuki who was giving a few instructions to the chauffer before they entered the hotel. The two admired the well decorated room finally finding, in the middle of all the guests, the birthday girl.

Sara was wearing a long yellow dress matching the gold of her jewelry and her hair that framed her delicate face. Anyone, that night, would've given anything to dance with her or that's what the black haired Headmistress of Garderobe thought as she walked towards the birthday girl with a little difficulty thanks to her outfit.

"Natsuki! Shizuru!" Sara hugged them briefly, smiling. "I'm so glad you came."

"It's a pleasure!" Shizuru interrupted before Natsuki could complain about something. "Congratulations, Sara."

"Congratulations." The black haired woman repeated delivering the present.

"Thanks. You two even look like a couple always buying presents together."

"Only you could have that idea." The blonde laughed, and Natsuki blushed. "If we buy it together we can buy something better and more expensive."

"Of course."

"Kruger and Viola. I should've known." They turned to see Haruka Armitage, the main otome of the Aries Republic, followed closely by the President of said Republic, Yukino Chrysant.

"Should've known what, Haruka?" Sara, who had always had the habit of correcting the other blonde, asked.

"That they would be here."

"They're my friends too."

"Hello, Natsuki. Shizuru." Yukino greeted them knowing that the discussion between the two other women wouldn't be over anytime soon.

"Yukino, how's everything?"

"Like always." She shrugged smiling. "You?"

"Nothing new either."

"I'll see if I can stop their discussion… Why don't we meet later by the buffet?"

"Sure."

They walked away together watching the party going on around them, many faces known and unknown scattered around the room, and the crowded dance floor slowly emptying now that the opening of the buffet had been announced.

"Good. When we get there the food will be over…" Natsuki commented upset.

"Well…" Shizuru linked her arm through the other woman's. "At least now the dance floor is ours."

"Don't! Shizuru, don't!" the black haired woman tried to resist discreetly and yet efficiently, but the other woman still managed to drag her to the dance floor.

"Shhh…" the blonde whispered in her friend's ear placing an arm over her shoulders and the other in her waist while they started to move together with the music.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki forced herself to ask after sometime, thinking that the other woman might've slept with her head on her shoulder.

"Let's stay like this. Just a little longer…"

"Are you okay?" she sounded genuinely concerned.

"Natsuki… What would you do if I told you I'm in love with someone?"

"Why should I do anything? If you wanna talk about it… I'm here." Shizuru had suddenly tensed in her arms, but none of them made any motion to leave.

"And what if I said that this someone is here tonight?"

"Practically all the people we know are here, so… I wouldn't be surprised if the one you love was here too."

"Natsuki…" the blonde sighed before laughing softly.

"What?"

"And what if I told you that this person…" Shizuru took a step back so that she could look straight into the green eyes. "is you?"

"Me?" Natsuki could feel her face burning. "Shizuru, you…" she lowered her voice. "You're serious?"

"I've never been more serious."

"But we've been friends for years! How did you never… How did _I _ never…"

"That doesn't matter." The blonde shook her head. "What are you gonna do now?"

"I… Shizuru… I really don't know."

"I see." She smiled sadly. "I'll check if the buffet has emptied."

Natsuki watched in shock as the other woman walked away until she disappeared in the middle of the crowd. She didn't know how she felt about Shizuru anymore, of course she wouldn't stop being her friend just because she loved her, but could it be something more? The thought of it certainly didn't disgust her, and maybe the way she felt hot when the blonde flirted with her was a sign. She left after her friend then, but found no trace of her close to the buffet.

"Yukino!" she shouted when she spotted the 'four-eyed' woman. "Have you seen Shizuru?"

"Shizuru? No, have you lost her?"

"That's what it looks like." The black haired woman apologized and resumed her search, soon, distracted, she ran into Haruka.

"Kruger! Watch where you're going! But you two really are alike!"

"You two? Have you, by any means, seen Shizuru?"

"If I have seen her? She practically flew by me! Almost carried me with her!"

"Where did she go?"

"I think she went to the balcony…"

"Thanks, Haruka!" Natsuki shouted as she ran, happy for getting rid of the other otome's complaints.

The balcony wasn't far and, for her relief, Shizuru really was there, bent slightly over the railing, a forgotten glass of wine between her hands, lost in thought, but not enough for her not to notice the black haired woman that stopped beside her, her back against the railing, looking up at the starry sky the rain clouds had left behind.

'_Now it's a beautiful night to go out…' _ Natsuki thought and laughed at the irony, still she had to say something or her friend would never forgive her.

"You know I'm single…"

"If you weren't, I wouldn't have said anything."

"Yeah… So, I think we can try."

"Really?" Shizuru finally turned to the black haired woman, eyes shining with hope.

"Hn." Natsuki agreed, blushing again when her eyes met the blonde's.

They were suddenly getting closer, their breathing accelerated, eyes traveling to so desired lips before closing, allowing all the sensation awakened by the contact to traverse their nerves and fill their hearts with warmth.

"Thank you." Shizuru smiled when they finally pulled apart. "For giving me a chance."

"I'm giving myself a chance too."

"What now, Natsuki? Motel?"

"Sh-Shizuru!"

"Did you know that you look very cute when you blush?"

"Finally I found you!" Sara appeared at the door that led back inside. "It's time for the cake, and I want you there with me."

"We'll be right there, Sara." Natsuki smiled.

"Don't be late." Was all she added before going back in, surprised at the change in the attitude and mood of Garderobe's Headmistress.

"Well," the black haired woman turned back to Shizuru. "if we're already settled…" she offered her hand.

"I think I've just been promoted." The blonde smiled accepting the other's hand.

"Promoted?"

"From assistant to girlfriend."

"You'll have double work." Commented Natsuki smiling as they walked back in.

"It doesn't matter, after all…" Shizuru laid a soft kiss in the black haired woman's lips. "I'll be earning a lot more than the double."

Natsuki smiled to her assistant now also girlfriend, and Shizuru knew deep within her heart that even that small smile from the other woman, in her wine colored eyes, was priceless.


End file.
